10 killer tips to get your Apple Watch set up just right

Navigating the Apple Watch can be a little confusing at first, and it definitely takes a while to get your notifications dialed in so it’s not bugging you too often, but you’re still finding out what you need to know. These tips can help you adjust what the watch shows you and how, so you’ll spend less time fiddling with settings and more time enjoying your new arm candy.

Take control of notifications

If you’re one of those people who allows push notifications for every app on your iPhone, the Apple Watch will drive you insane. This is a gadget that requires very specific tailoring to ensure you’re only getting the most important alerts. Otherwise your wrist will be barraged with taps. Get to know the Apple Watch app on your iPhone: It will make your watch the personalized device you want.

Every app on your iPhone can send notifications to your watch. Trust us, you don't want that.

In My Watch > Notifications, you can pick and choose which apps you want to receive notifications from. Even non-watch apps that just live on your iPhone will send you watch notifications if you let them, and you shouldn’t. Pick which apps make sense to see on the watch and mirror those—turn the rest off.
The watch’s native apps like Messages and Weather let you further customize the alerts you receive, so they don’t have to exactly mirror your iPhone notification settings.
Something to note: If you want to make sure you receive notifications on the watch from specific apps, you need to change all of those apps’ notification settings on your iPhone. This can be insanely time-consuming, but worth it. Otherwise, the watch will drive you nuts.



More@:
http://www.macworld.com/article/2916083/10-killer-tips-to-get-your-apple-watch-set-up-just-right.html

09.Apple Watch face off: which smartwatch should you buy?

Ahead of the Apple Watch launch on 9 March, Sophie Curtis compares the best of the other smartwatches on the market

The Apple Watch is due to launch next week, promising to propel smartwatches into the mainstream. But Apple's Watch will be joining an already crowded market, with many smartwatch makers currently on their second or third edition.

Some of these devices excel in battery life, others in usability; some work independently from smartphones while others need to be contantly connected; some are beautiful items intended as objects of desire, while others focus on functionality and affordability.

If you're trying to work out which smartwatch to buy, you first need to work out what you want from it. Here The Telegraph rates the current batch of devices, based on a range of different criteria:

Best for battery: Pebble Time Steel
Compatible with: iPhone and Android
Price: $250 (£163) on Kickstarter or $299 (£195) thereafter

The Pebble Time Steel is the first 'premium' device from smartwatch maker Pebble Technology. Announced at Mobile World Congress, the device is made from stainless steel with a colour e-paper display and a scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass lens. It has a built-in microphone for quick voice replies and notes, and is water resistant. It also runs Pebble's new timeline interface, which organises information chronologically. Most importantly, however, it boasts a battery life of up to 10 days, blowing most other smartwatches out of the water.

Best for design: LG Watch Urbane 
Compatible with: Any Android smartphone
Price: Unknown

Source:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/watch/11448976/Apple-Watch-face-off-which-smartwatch-should-you-buy.html

01. Best of M.W.C. - LG's pretty slick LTE watch

Want to make phone calls from your wrist like Dick Tracy? Maybe, maybe not. But if you're even slightly inclined, LG's new LG Urbane LTE looks like the best bet. It's a little bulky, but no Samsung Gear S, and interestingly enough, it runs WebOS instead of Android Wear. It's probably pretty expensive, so you probably won't want to buy it, but always-connected smartwatches are getting better looking for sure.

LG Watch Urbane: LTE On Your Wrist Never Looked So Good

Smartwatches are still trying desperately to be cool. LG's latest attempt at pulling it off is …Read more


Source:
http://gizmodo.com/the-best-of-mobile-world-congress-2015-1689135694

10.Samsung takes a time-out on smartwatches as Apple Watch launch nears

Summary:Samsung is taking a breather from its frantic smartwatch release schedule, preferring for the moment to play a watching-and-waiting game.

Samsung was one of the biggest producers of smartwatches in the years leading up to the launch of the Apple Watch but now the company is taking a pause to rethink its strategy.

The Korean company hasn't been shy of trying out new designs to appeal to various consumer tastes in the emerging smartwatch category, having released everything from simple fitness bands like the Gear Fit to the Tizen-powered 3G Gear S, with core specs not far off some low-end smartphones.

Indeed, Samsung has launched six smart watches in just 14 months, as analyst firm Canalys noted recently. This propelled it to the top spot among 'smart band' makers, who shipped 4.6 million units in total last year.

But unlike last year's Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, which were launched alongside the Galaxy S5, this year's release of the Galaxy 6S at the MWC trade show came with no companion smartwatch.

According to the Wall Street Journal, that's because Samsung is taking a "pause" as it ponders what it means to create the perfect smartwatch.

More@

http://www.zdnet.com/article/samsung-takes-a-time-out-on-smartwatches-as-apple-watch-launch-nears/

06.Pebble Time most funded Kickstarter ever

Less than one week after its reveal, Pebble Time is now the most funded project ever on Kickstarter.

The new smartwatch announced by startup Pebble has netted close to $14 million, and will remain open to accept additional funds for the next 24 days. Pebble Time bumps The Coolest Cooler, which had held the previous record of $13.3 million.

Pebble Time includes a color e-paper screen and built-in microphone for short voice messages. Pebble announced Tuesday it is also adding smart watchstraps with sensors developers can leverage for additional features. The Kickstarter models were available for $159, while retail versions will go for $199 when they arrive in May.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Pebble unveiled another version of its new smartwatch called Pebble Time Steel. The device is made of "premium materials" and boasts a battery life of 10 days.

Pebble Time Steel will ship this summer for $299 at retail. Kickstarter versions will go for $250, and include two watch straps.

Source:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2015/03/03/pebble-watch-kickstarter/24324921/

Apple Watch straps will be available to purchase separately at launch

Despite speculation to the contrary, Apple does in fact plan to sell an array of bands as separate accessories for the Apple Watch at launch, according to sources. So far Apple has only shown the Watch in pre-assembled collections, which reduces their potential for customization, but our sources say that Apple’s retail outlets will be stocked on day one with individual straps so customers can easily mix and match the looks of their Watches.

While Apple has hinted at millions of combinations of Apple Watch when considering the various watch faces and interchangeable strap combos, up until now we’ve not had confirmation that straps would be available to purchase separately alongside the Apple Watch at launch.

What we know about the Apple Watch lineup so far from Apple is that it will come in three models— Apple Watch, Sport, and Edition— with each of those models offering a selection of the total 6 straps Apple has shown so far on the 38mm size, 42mm size, or both.Some of the straps Apple shows on its website, such as the Modern Buckle and Leather Loop— will be limited to either the 38mm or 42mm models in select colors for the Apple Watch and gold Apple Watch Edition. It’s unclear Apple’s exact motivation in limiting certain watch straps to either the 38mm and 42mm options in the Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition lineups. The Apple Watch Sport line offers all strap options and colors for both sizes, according to Apple’s site. However, it’s possible that some of the straps Apple shows as limited to either the 38mm or 42mm sizes will become available to purchase for the other size separately.


Source:
http://9to5mac.com/2015/02/20/apple-watch-straps-accessories-available-separately/

10 things to expect from Apple in 2015

2015 could be one of the most interesting years in Apple's history.
It's moving into a whole new world with the Apple Watch, a device that's as much about high fashion as high tech, and with the tablet market showing signs of saturation it needs some bright ideas to reinvigorate iPad sales.

There are two new operating systems to prepare, an enterprise push to explore and some new musical directions - and there might even be a stylus.
Here's what Techradar think (and in a few cases, hope) we'll see from Apple in 2015.


Source:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/11345660/10-things-to-expect-from-Apple-in-2015.html

Apple Smashes Forecasts, Selling 74.5 Million iPhones In Q1

- Apple sold 74.5 million iPhones in the last three months of 2015, beating even the most rosy forecasts by analysts
- Net profit grew 38% to $18 billion on sales of $74.6 billion; EPS of $3.06, all beat expectations
- The Apple Watch will ship in April






- Sales in the Greater China region rose 70% to $16.1 billion
- Currency headwinds (strong dollar, FX flux in Russia and Japan) cut revenues by 4%
- Dark spot continues to be iPad: sales fell 22% to $9 billion, mirroring a wider contraction in the tablet market
- Average selling price of the iPhone rose $50, to $687
- Shares of Apple jump 5.4% to $109.14 in after-hours trading.

Source:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2015/01/27/apple-smashes-forecasts-selling-74-5-million-iphones-in-q1/

The 10 best Android Wear watch faces

Make your Android Wear watch stand out from the pack
Google has finally opened the gates for developers to build customized Android Wear watch faces. In the short time they’ve been available, the Play Store's virtual shelves are already stocked with some great choices.

We’ve plowed through the Play Store to find the gems that will give your watch a fresh and clean visual boost. Check out our selection, and let us know if there’s something else new and exciting worth slapping on your wrist.






Source:
http://www.greenbot.com/article/2868764/the-10-best-android-wear-watch-faces.html